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Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Fall in the city lasts about a day and a half and so last Saturday, Mercy Street grabbed that bull by the horns by celebrating with the First Annual Fall Festival.

Next door to the ministry facility is a 20 or so acre field perfect for a community gathering.

Johnny, the mastermind behind the event and the head of the Bike Shop, built a bike track for some competitive racin'. I love seeing these big ol' boys racing on pink bikes with streamers on the handlebars.

We had tire painting, face painting, games galore and, of course, the Pickle Walk. A Mercy Street event wouldn't be complete without the Pickle Walk.

Families could be seen walking from all parts of the community to the Fair and we all had a great time.

Here's Sam, sharing the Gospel around a keg...of Root Beer. I worked the keg for a while and had some flashbacks of my college days at Texas A&M telling myself I was "just where Jesus would be if he were here now. At a Frat party, witnessing by the keg."

Hmmm. Really, Melissa? Was that what you were doing?

Anyway...

Here's Sadie, contemplating another corndog.

Mrs. Rita, a community stalwart, worked all day painting faces. She loves butterflies and wears them every day from head to toe.

Tire painting. All these need now are some sweet twenty-fo's.

Volunteers from area churches and neighbors came out to lend a hand with the games and food and share their day with one another.

Jaquavian, one of the early classes of Mercy Street Mentees, brought his Uncle's horses out and led the kids all day on rides around the property. We're hoping we can help provide a permanent home for these horses in the stables that currently are unused on the property.

My main responsibility was helping with the food.

Surprise!

Hannah made the best cupcakes ever and Elotes which is corn seasoned with butter, sour cream, spices, yumminess, and deliciousness and eaten with a spoon.

Nanny and I made cornbread and charro beans. I spent the better part of the day trying to pronounce "charro" in the authentic, rolled-r's kind of way.

I was, for the most part, ineffective.

Now, let me explain something to you.

We were keeping everything hot on a grill which I had turned on and walked away from for a moment to try to get some more root beer.

Hannah went to move one of the giant pots of beans and burned her hand. I know this because she screamed "OUCH! I BURNED MY HAND!"

I, in my most sympathetic moment, quickly raced to the scene and said, "ARE THE BEANS BURNED?!?!"

That was a big mistake.

Huge.

Here I am on my knees, graveling.

Isn't Hannah beautiful when she's mad?

In my defense, the pot was Nanny's and I would have been fine burning my own beans but would have felt pretty bad if Nanny had stayed up all night making a pot of beans and I burned them. Blah, blah blah, Hannah cared not who's beans they were but was instead was frantically applying burn cream to her hand.

Thanks for making me laugh today! Looks like y'all had a great time. Totally sympathize with you wondering about the beans. Remind me to tell you a story about when what I did when I set my kitchen on fire with a bunch of youth group kids. In fact, may just email you now...miss you